From the Sector

• Kettelhack GmbH – a German leader in the dyeing and finishing of monochrome fabrics for high-quality and durable workwear and bed linen – has this year retired its existing Monforts sanforizing line after 35 years of daily service, replacing it with a new one.

The first line was installed in 1985 during a decisive time for the company.

Taking the helm in the early 1980s, Jan Kettelhack – the current CEO, owner and great grandson of Heinrich Kettelhack who founded the company back in 1874 – made a number of decisions that have secured its success over the following decades.

In 1982 Kettelhack had to vacate its existing plant in the city of Rheine due to urban development restrictions and despite a general sense of crisis in the European textile industry at that time, opted to relocate and build a new highly automated plant that was not reliant on mechanical and personnel-intensive processes. This was aligned with a greater focus on competitive international sales.

From 1986, the company’s proficiency as a specialist in solid-colour textiles led to workwear textiles becoming a bedrock of the business. Continuous investments in machinery and technical equipment have resulted in a fully integrated and rationalised single source site dedicated solely to what the company does best – the expert dyeing and finishing of textiles.

Crucial process steps

These stages in the textile value-added chain, Jan Kettelhack has observed, are crucial to the quality of a final product in workwear – whether it stands the test in everyday use, how comfortable it is, and how many washes it can withstand.

Central to this is the sanforizing process, which pre-shrinks a fabric by compressing it prior to washing. This limits any residual or further shrinkage in a made-up finished garment to less than 1%, to ensure perfect comfort and fit over an extended lifetime.

“We certainly can’t complain about the performance of the old Monfortex sanforizing line which gave us so many uninterrupted years of service, but certain spare parts for it were becoming increasingly hard to source, the control unit was becoming a little unstable and we couldn’t risk potential interruptions to our production schedule,” says Kettelhack plant manager Hendrik Pleimann. “In many ways, the new Monfortex sanforizer is much the same as the old one in terms of its mechanical reliability and robust construction, but of course today’s drives are much more efficient, and when it comes to the automation features and control units – and the data we can generate and analyse for increasing efficiency – that’s a whole new world.”

Qualitex 800

The two-metres-wide Monfortex line benefits from the latest Qualitex 800 control system which allows all parameters to be easily automated via the 24-inch colour touchscreen, including production speed, control of all fabric feed devices, rotation spray or steaming cylinder options, the width of the stretching field and the rubber belt pressure.

The integrated Compactomat system allows a continuous indication and control of the shrinkage values and the temperatures of the shrinking cylinder and felt calender. Up to 10,000 separate process parameter records can be generated and stored by the data manager.

Full line management can be optimised via the batch-specific calculation of all process material consumption and water and electricity use, with any standstill times analysed and immediately corrected for the future.

Any further assistance required is available via Monforts Teleservice, with direct connection to technicians and virtual access to machine analysis.

Professional

Commissioning of the new Monfortex line at Kettelhack commenced in January and it was fully operational in a relatively short time.

“This was a very professional installation provided by the Monforts team with whom we have a very good relationship dating back many years, and everyone knew what was required from both sides,” says Mr Pleimann. “Our operators have found the new line very user friendly and we are very pleased with how everything proceeded so smoothly. An unexpected benefit is that the new line is also a lot quieter, of course, which is something our operatives are appreciating.”

Key features of the Monfortex line are the proven fabric preparation, weft straightening and spreading units, prior to the compressive shrinkage machine with a 750mm shrinking cylinder, and a felt calender equipped with 2,000mm diameter drying cylinder. The line also features an integrated automatic grinding unit.

Customer service

Kettelhack is processing primarily cotton and polyester woven fabrics, with lyocell becoming increasingly popular in workwear for its softness and comfort.

As part of its customer service, the company stocks more than a million metres of grey fabric and at least 1.2 million metres of finished and rolled standard fabric in its warehouse at any one time, with a further 750,000 metres permanently in production.

While a significant cost, this commitment ensures Kettelhack customers can be fully flexible and rely on it as a partner.

“As a family-run company with around a hundred employees, Kettelhack operates very differently to bigger businesses which have to constantly consider their immediate quarterly profits,” Mr Pleimann concludes. “The thinking at Kettelhack is in terms of the next twenty years and ensuring that the business will be just as successful for the next generation as it is today. We also have a very flat organisational structure in which everyone is involved and takes an active part, which makes it a very nice place to work.”

• World’s largest viscose producer well on track for all of its five mills to be EU-BAT compliant by 2023

Two more Sateri mills in China, Sateri Jiujiang and Sateri Jiangxi, have received verification of compliance to the emissions limits set out in the European Union Best Available Techniques Reference Document (EU-BAT BREF) on Polymers. This brings the total number of EU-BAT compliant mills to three of five, accounting for over 60 per cent of Sateri’s overall fibre production capacity. In April this year, Sateri Fujian was the company’s first mill to be verified as being EU-BAT compliant. Verified by independent consultant Sustainable Textile Solutions (STS), a division of BluWin Limited (UK), the parameters of the EU-BAT BREF assessed included resource utility efficiency, wastewater discharge and air emission. As a highlight, STS’ assessment concluded that the energy intensity and air emission of Sateri Jiujiang and Sateri Jiangxi were well under EU-BAT norms for viscose production. Considering the EU-BAT energy requirements limit of 30GJ/MTf, the mills were each saving about 1,100 kg CO2/MT of fibre production.

The mills also followed local requirements for controlling ecological impact for viscose production, and there were no gaps identified against EU-BAT. Sateri Jiangxi is a 16-year-old mill and the company’s first and oldest, while Sateri Jiujiang was acquired and expanded in 2015. Said Allen Zhang, President of Sateri, “For three of our five mills to meet the EU-BAT emissions limits in such a short span of time is a testament to our continued investment in best-in-class technologies. This applies to all our mills – regardless of whether they are existing, acquired, or newly constructed ones – as we aim to achieve a high level of sustainability performance across all our operations.”

The company is well on track for its remaining two mills, Sateri Jiangsu and Sateri China which were acquired and newly-built in 2019 respectively, to comply with EU-BAT’s recommended emission levels by 2023.

In the joint project "AeroFurnace" funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), the consortium, consisting of the Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research e.V. (ZAE Bayern) as joint coordinator, the furnace manufacturer FCT Systeme, and SGL Carbon has succeeded in improving the thermal insulation properties of a new composite material by up to 120 percent compared to commercially available felt-based carbon materials. This enabled the project partners to move into a new quality level of thermal insulation in high-temperature industrial applications and pave the way for more energy efficient thermal insulation.

Dr. Gudrun Reichenauer, coordinator of the joint project and head of the work group Nanomaterials at ZAE Bayern: "In this project, we have been able to make the latest findings from the world of nanomaterials accessible to the market through intensive cooperation and thus set new standards in the field of thermal insulation materials."

Dr. Thomas Kirschbaum, project manager at SGL Carbon: "In furnace simulations at the partner FCT, we have already been able to demonstrate what the new material can do: Depending on the temperature program, up to 40 percent of the required process energy can be saved with the new thermal insulation material. The potential of the new material is great." This prediction will be reviewed under real conditions in a demonstrator component in the second half of 2020 as part of the still ongoing BMWi project.

Dr. Jürgen Hennicke, project lead and head of R&D at FCT Systeme: "As a leading manufacturer of industrial vacuum or inert gas high temperature furnaces, the new generation of insulating materials enables us to create furnaces with a more favorable ratio of usable space to external dimensions, thus offering customers improved cost efficiency and productivity".

Based on laboratory samples in plate form it has already been demonstrated that the production of the new material can be represented by technically simple processes and is in principle well scalable. However, there is still a long way to go before the product is ready for serial production.

The third largest share of final energy in Germany is used for the generation of heat in industrial processes (22.6 percent). In many industries, e.g. in the steel and ceramics industry, energy-intensive high-temperature processes run above 1000°C – these alone require almost 50 percent of the industrial process heat. Suitable thermal insulation materials can significantly reduce energy demand while maintaining the same usable volume.

The coronavirus pandemic and its massive impact on the automotive industry led to an un-precedented market slump in the first half of 2020 and a corresponding revenue decline at Autoneum. Revenue in local currencies fell by –32.7% compared to the prior-year period, and in Swiss francs by –36.8% to CHF 730.6 million. The turnaround program for the North American sites made further progress in the first six months and is showing the targeted results. However, they were clearly overcompensated by the massive impact of the corona-virus crisis, which led to a negative net result of CHF –54.9 million despite comprehensive cost flexibilization measures.

Like the entire automobile industry, Autoneum was massively impacted by the effects of the corona-virus pandemic in the first half of the year. The temporary plant closures at almost all customers in every region, especially in the second quarter of the year, not only led to an unprecedented market collapse, but also to a production stop at all 55 Autoneum sites. Starting in February in China and one month later in all other regions, vehicle manufacturers temporarily shut down production completely. The corresponding massive drop in global vehicle production led to a slump in revenue at Autoneum of –32.7% in local currencies. This reflects the development of the market in the first half of 2020, which contracted by –33.2% year-on-year. Revenue in Swiss francs at Autoneum fell by –36.8% to CHF 730.6 million (prior-year period: CHF 1 156.1 million). Revenue development in all Business Groups outperformed the respective markets, particularly in Asia and the SAMEA (South America, Middle East and Africa) region.

 Like the entire automobile industry, Autoneum was massively impacted by the effects of the corona-virus pandemic in the first half of the year. The temporary plant closures at almost all customers in every region, especially in the second quarter of the year, not only led to an unprecedented market collapse, but also to a production stop at all 55 Autoneum sites. Starting in February in China and one month later in all other regions, vehicle manufacturers temporarily shut down production com-pletely. The corresponding massive drop in global vehicle production led to a slump in revenue at Autoneum of –32.7% in local currencies. This reflects the development of the market in the first half of 2020, which contracted by –33.2% year-on-year. Revenue in Swiss francs at Autoneum fell by –36.8% to CHF 730.6 million (prior-year period: CHF 1 156.1 million). Revenue development in all Business Groups outperformed the respective markets, particularly in Asia and the SAMEA (South America, Middle East and Africa) region.

Autoneum promptly responded to the pandemic-related market slump by adopting extensive cost-cutting measures in all regions. These include the reduction of employee costs by, among other things, adjusting time accounts, introducing short-time work at eligible locations and temporary layoffs as well as headcount reduction, mainly among temporary workers. In addition, operating expenditures were limited to the absolutely necessary. The investment volume for 2020, already reduced from previous years, was downsized even further. Autoneum continues to benefit in this regard from the high level of investments undertaken in recent years.

 Although the coronavirus crisis and the measures taken to contain it dominated Autoneum’s course of business in the first half of 2020, the Company achieved necessary operational and financial im-provements during this period. The comprehensive turnaround program for the North American sites made further progress and is on track. Efficiency improvements already achieved there had a posi-tive effect on the figures of the first half-year, but were significantly overcompensated by the substan-tial impact of the COVID-19 crisis. Savings and cost flexibilization measures taken immediately and implemented worldwide in view of the revenue loss could not offset the ongoing, capacity-related fixed costs. This led at the Group level to a negative EBIT of CHF –31.8 million (prior-year period: CHF 16.4 million), which equates to an EBIT margin of –4.4% (prior-year period: 1.4%). The net result decreased because of the severe revenue shortfall to CHF –54.9 million (prior-year period: CHF –6.0 million).

Outlook
For 2020 Autoneum expects revenue to develop at market level. Although customers’ production volumes should increase again in the second half of 2020 compared with the first semester, latest fore-casts indicate that they will remain clearly below the level of the second half of 2019. Immediately implemented and ongoing cost reduction measures as well as further operational optimizations also within the turnaround program in North America will lead to improvements in the second half of the year. Due to the current uncertainties, a reliable statement on the net result for the full year 2020 thus cannot be made. With regard to the mid-term targets, a recovery of the profitability level is expected, but it will largely depend on the market development.

• Si-Quat by AFFIX Labs is a versatile anti-viral surface treatment that has been scientifically proven to last for months on any surface or textile while effectively killing the COVID-19 pathogen upon contact.
   

Helsinki - Leading chemical binding expert AFFIX Labs has harnessed its global experience in disease prevention to create the first long-lasting surface treatment proven to kill COVID-19. Si-Quat combines a safe and well-established disinfectant and a proprietary chemical binding technique, so that the active ingredient can kill viruses, including SARS-COV-2. Testing at Portugal’s Biochemistry Institute at the University of Lisbon proves that Si-Quat effectively kills the COVID-19 pathogens that it comes into contact with.

“Tragedies have unfolded across the globe, affecting different countries at varying degrees. The second waves of COVID-19 are just appearing on the horizon. This long-lasting surface treatment is a viable, accessible solution across cultures. By killing the COVID-19 pathogen on surfaces before it can infect people, the Si-Quat solution is a game changer. It can provide increased security and peace of mind to your communities, as well as your customers,” says Tom Sam, CEO of AFFIX Labs.

Si-Quat has been tested to kill 99.99% of microbes within minutes, while still being fully safe to touch. Proven to be effective for about a month on frequently touched surfaces, it is the longest lasting anti-viral surface treatment available to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus. The product is non-corrosive, free from silver salts and heavy metal nanoparticles, and perfectly safe to touch.

Several major agencies around the globe have already accepted quaternary ammonium, the main ingredient in the surface coating, to be an effective surface treatment against the novel coronavirus, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Environmental Protection Agency, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the European Chemical Agency (ECHA).

Si-Quat was invented in January 2020 by the AFFIX Labs’ Repeltec development team to specifically help combat the COVID-19 outbreak. The product is based on the trusted and safe disinfectant quaternary ammonium, which is chemically bound to align silane quaternary ammonium molecules (silane quats) in a highly effective manner. Positively charged nitrogen particles then actively attract viruses and bacteria, penetrating the membranes and killing them within minutes.

Rigorous testing has shown Si-Quat to adhere to almost any surface, performing as the most durable surface treatment commercially available. Due to its incredibly strong layer, the solution only wears down on surfaces after thousands of touches or multiple cleaning cycles. This means that on heavily used surfaces, such as door handles and counters, Si-Quat will be effective for about a month. On rarely touched surfaces like walls, it has the potential to protect for years. Since the product is incredibly easy to apply, technicians require minimal training and only basic protection. They simply have to brush or spray Si-Quat onto the surface and allow it to dry for 6 hours.

“Other sanitising solutions require reapplication to every surface several times daily, interrupting business operations. This results in additional costs and disruptions at a time when many companies are already struggling,” Sam explains. “By combining proven efficacy, safety and long durability, Si-Quat is emerging as an important weapon in the battle against the spread of COVID-19.”

AFFIX Labs has begun to roll out the distribution of Si-Quat across the globe, with new regions being serviced every week. It is currently looking for distribution partners in local markets.

The project leading to the development of Si-Quat included funding from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union, under the Horizon 2020 Framework for Research and Innovation.

• Schleswig-Holstein Minister President visits Neumünster, Germany

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the worldwide demand for protective masks and apparel has resulted in a record number of new orders in the high double-digit millions of euros at the Oerlikon Nonwoven business unit of the Swiss Oerlikon Group. From the manufacturing site in Neumünster, Germany, the high-tech meltblown systems – with their patented ecuTE+ nonwovens electro-charging technology – are meanwhile be exported all over the world. For the very first time, a contract has now been signed with a business in Australia. Today, Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister President Daniel Günther was won over on site by the technology of a ‘global player’. Rainer Straub, Head of Oerlikon Nonwoven, was thrilled, stating: “The machines and systems for manufacturing manmade fiber and nonwovens solutions from Neumünster enjoy an outstanding reputation throughout the world. It is especially in this crisis that the technology from Schleswig-Holstein has proven itself to be absolutely world-class.”

In addition to a tour of the meltblown system and its assembly and production facilities, the visit by Minister President Daniel Günther had one purpose above all: the dialog between politicians and business. Rainer Straub, Head of Oerlikon Nonwoven, and Matthias Pilz, Head of Oerlikon Neumag, jointly expressed their thanks for the support that Oerlikon has repeatedly had the fortune to experience over the past months and years in Schleswig-Holstein and looked to the future full of hope. “As a result of our additional investment at the site here in Neumünster – be this in our new technology center that will be completed by the end of this year or in our new logistics center that is already operating – we, as one of the region’s largest employers, are continuing to move forward, supported by a State Government that is also focusing on both promoting industry and business and on advancing an efficient training and educational system, as innovation is only possible with outstanding engineers”, stated Matthias Pilz. And Rainer Straub directed his appeal specifically at the Minister President: “Treat education and training as a priority. Ultimately, they will secure the future of Schleswig-Holstein as a center of excellence and manufacturing!”

Five-million-euro digitalization program

Daniel Günther, the incumbent Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein since 2017, immediately responded, making reference to one of the Federal State’s current training initiatives: “The State Government is supporting higher education institutions and students in the present coronavirus crisis. With a five-million-euro digitalization program, we are investing on the long-term digitalization of our higher education institutions. With this, we are overall creating a future for young people, particularly also for those who could very well go on to invent the next generation of manmade fiber systems.” And the Minister President was just as impressed by the willingness and readiness with which Oerlikon has been providing high-level support since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to master the present challenges as he was with the company’s meltblown technology itself. Rainer Straub explained: “When, at the beginning of the pandemic in February, demand for protective face masks increased rapidly, we at Oerlikon Nonwoven responded immediately. We ramped up all the available production capacities here in Neumünster in order to quickly manufacture nonwovens for producing face masks using our laboratory systems. As a result, we have been able to make a small, regional contribution to covering demand. In parallel, we have pulled out all the stops in order to systematically further expand our skills as machine and system builders so as to cater to the initially expected, and now also continuing, global demand for meltblown systems as quickly as possible.”

Leading meltblown technology

The Oerlikon Nonwoven meltblown technology – with which nonwovens for protective masks can also be manufactured, among other things – is recognized by the market as being the technically most efficient method for producing highly-separating filter media made from plastic fibers. The capacities for respiratory masks available in Europe to date are predominantly manufactured on Oerlikon Nonwoven systems. “Ever more manufacturers in the most diverse countries are hoping to become independent of imports. Therefore, what we are experiencing in Germany is also happening in both industrialized and emerging countries throughout the world”, commented Rainer Straub. In addition to China, Turkey, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Austria and numerous countries in both North and South America, Australia and not least Germany will for the first time also be among the countries to which Oerlikon Nonwoven will be delivering machines and equipment before the end of 2021.

• Specialised in dye-sublimation printing, the Italian company has conquered the heights of the high fashion sector with its top-quality printed fabrics.
• With its recent investment in a direct-to-fabric printing line, Digitak is preparing to expand its range of printed products, focusing on fabric differentiation.

Dye sublimation printing of high fashion designs is the beating heart of Digitak, an Italian company specialised in digital textile printing. Operating in the textile district of Lombardy, Italy, the company has established itself among the main suppliers in the world of high fashion and sportswear in just under 15 years.

Making production versatility one of the cornerstones of its philosophy, Digitak has continued to invest in technology, as well as research and development its product portfolio. This forward-thinking approach has enabled the company to guarantee innovative, personalised products with meticulous attention to detail, with the highest – almost obsessive – standards of quality and maximum design flexibility. Over the years, the extensive experience gained by the company’s management in the field of sublimation with traditional and digital techniques, combined with their investment decisions have allowed Digitak to enhance its production performance, gradually implementing higher quality standards and differentiating itself from the competition in the complex and competitive sector of high fashion. An important feat, which has not, however, dampened its enthusiasm and willingness to continue growing and exceeding its goals. The company’s latest investment in a direct-to-fabric digital printing line with pigment ink propels the company into a new and promising production dimension.

Sublimation printing specialists

Since Digitak’s establishment, Filippo Taccani, the founder and current owner of the company, had set himself a clear and ambitious objective: “I wanted to take up the challenge of operating digitally - printing fabrics using this innovative technology to create products on a par with those  I had achieved with traditional sublimation textile printing methods during my previous work experience.”

The purchase of a Mimaki JV4 plotter, one of the first to be installed in Italy, marked the beginning of Digitak’s adventure. “To start the business, I needed a printing system that could operate with dispersed inks to print on polyester and I found the JV4 to be the best option,” explains Taccani. “It was an excellent decision, because I used these plotters to build the company and its success.”

The first Mimaki plotter was in fact followed by a second and a third. When it bought the fifth, the company moved to an industrial unit in Tradate (Varese) – Digitak’s current site – which now houses around fifteen Mimaki JV33 plotters, in addition to three Mimaki TS500-1800 wide-format sublimation printers, and a Mimaki TS300P-1800 high-speed sublimation printer. This Mimaki powered production facility – which is one of the company’s core strengths – was recently expanded with the addition of a Mimaki TX300P-1800B belt-type hybrid printing system, together with a Mimaki TR300-1850C textile coater and a Mimaki Tiger-1800.

“Naturally, over the years, we have also tested printing systems from other suppliers, but we have always returned to Mimaki. With high fashion as our key market, we need to guarantee our customers the highest levels of quality and, to date, we have never found solutions that beat the quality of this Japanese brand’s technology.”

According to Taccani, the difference lies in the “calligraphy” of Mimaki’s machines, that is the line of the ink on the fabric: “Unlike its competitors, Mimaki has focused on the ‘waveforms’, i.e. the electronics associated with the print heads. This attention paid to the way the ink jet is managed from the print head has allowed Mimaki to achieve unparalleled levels of accuracy, an aspect that has given my company a clear competitive edge.”

Moreover, at Digitak, quality comes before quantity: “We prefer to dedicate an extra day to production to guarantee the customer a final product that fully meets requirements and expectations. Mimaki’s technology not only suits this business model bult on top quality, but it crucially enables it.”

Operational and creative flexibility

Digitak currently prints around 2,000 linear metres of fabric per day. Its portfolio ranges from clothing and scarves, to beach and swimwear, with related personalised accessories, to sportswear, with technical properties such as breathability, comfort, resistance to external agents. The company have even added customised outdoor furniture to their offering of diverse and creative products.
The company’s machines operate continuously, 24/7. During the day, the machines are mainly used to develop and produce samples and colour proofs, while the actual production is carried out at night. “Thanks to our technology, we have developed an extraordinary operational flexibility. The fact that we have so many plotters allows us to work on multiple designs at the same time and to launch projects that are also very different from one another,” explains Taccani. “There are also some other crucial factors that have contributed, and continue to contribute, to increasing our production efficiency. The reliability of Mimaki’s solutions and the remote monitoring option offered is key. Once the standard start-up monitoring has been carried out and the machines are found to be printing correctly, we can let them work overnight without an operator. This is a great benefit for people who, like us, manage such a large and diverse fleet of machines.”

Digitak takes the same approach to customer service. Faced with an increasingly demanding market in terms of creativity, precision and completeness of service, the company wants to guarantee flexibility and customisation. “We decided to set up a department dedicated to the pre-press stage, in charge of preparing and checking the files supplied by customers. Seldom do our teams not need to do some editing of the files supplied, even if it’s only to make small changes that are essential for the print document to be as suitable as possible and to achieve the best final result.”

Technologies of the future

With a view to further enhancing production and customer service, Taccani has chosen to take on a new challenge, switching things up with some of the most recent investments.

While maintaining the focus on dye sublimation printing, Taccani has focused on technological diversification by installing a direct-to-fabric digital printing line. This consists of a Mimaki TX300P-1800B printing system with pigment inks and a TR300-1850C coater from Mimaki’s TR series. “The market continues to evolve and now requires even more flexibility regarding both processes and the fabrics supplied. This means that great opportunities exist for a print shop capable of simultaneously producing the same design – with minimal colour adjustment – on different fabrics, guaranteeing similar and accurate results. And this is precisely the path we are taking,” says Taccani. “Why have we opted for Mimaki again? Well, I had an opportunity to try out their new pigment inks and I immediately realised that they are a generation ahead of the other pigments available on the market. The cyan is very clean, the black is deep and there is a very interesting fullness of colour, suitable not only for furnishings, but also for other applications in the clothing sector.”

With its pigment inks, the new direct-to-fabric printing line allows Digitak to explore other related market segments. Thanks to the innovative automatic belt system, the TX300P-1800B guarantees good productivity and high-quality results. A standard of quality that is also boosted by the TR300-1850C fabric pre-treatment system: “This coater is essential for ensuring the best possible preparation of fabrics for printing. In fact, we are able to treat fabrics to make them suitable for the type of print they are intended for, sanitise them for specific applications and, in some cases, even dye them, with excellent quality.”

According to Taccani, another beneficial factor of direct-to-fabric pigment printing technology is the eco-sustainability of the process and its lower environmental impact. “We are proud to be able to offer our customers excellent printing results using little water and printing in ‘green mode’, with both the technologies we have available. I consider them winning technologies for the future, as both dye sublimation printing and direct-to-fabric printing with pigment inks use little water while mainly requiring the use of energy. Therefore, if you use renewable energy, then you’re done.”

Digitak’s other trump card is the Tiger-1800 installed in 2019. With this industrial printing system, the company aims to increase production volumes while maintaining its high-quality standards and further optimising costs. “We are excited to have these promising technologies available to us in-house. We are currently experimenting with these solutions, testing new opportunities and evaluating which paths to take to stay ahead of the game,” concludes Taccani.

• RUDOLF GROUP is thrilled to unveil the perfected antiviral features embedded in RUCO®-BAC AGP, the Company’s flagship antimicrobial product for textile applications.

As a consequence of COVID-19 global pandemic the demand for chemical auxiliaries with antimicrobial effect has boomed. RUDOLF GROUP invested important resources in the meticulous assessment of a new antiviral feature which is now added to one of their leading technologies .

Such an effort returned the surprisingly fast and most comprehensive antibacterial and antiviral textile finishing on the market: RUCO®-BAC AGP.

History has led to great vision and innovation

The powerful antimicrobial effectiveness of RUCO®-BAC AGP is rooted in the extraordinary properties of silver, whose antimicrobial magic is lost in the mists of time. Already known by the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians, water and milk were preserved by using silver coins through the early modern age.

R&D at RUDOLF GROUP has mounted silver on highly sophisticated, functional and registered microstructures that strengthen and amplify the qualities of this noble metal.

RUDOLF’s proprietary microstructures are the responsible hidden secret and key technical breakthrough behind both efficacy and durability of RUCO®-BAC AGP. This innovation is now the preferred solution to help reducing proliferation and cross-contamination of bacteria and enveloped-virus on textiles.

One gram of microstructures has the astonishing superficial area of about 60 m². The advantage of a much higher surface is that the consumption of resources and dosages can be minimized by the factor 100 and that makes RUCO®-BAC AGP a highly conscious choice.

“Due to the microstructures, a virtually infinite protective shield is created in the textile from which highly effective positive silver ions are set free in small, exactly dosed quantities” says Dr. Dirk Sielemann, R&D Director at Rudolf Group.

Taking performance to the next level

RUCO-BAC AGP effectively protects any textile against bacteria (harmful and odour-causing) and its superior antiviral performance on textiles has been independently demonstrated by applying the most modern testing methods. Assessments were carried out on enveloped Coronaviridae families known to cause a broad spectrum of animal and human diseases.

The microstructures in RUCO®-BAC AGP trigger their powerful antibacterial and antiviral effects based on 3 distinctive inhibiting mechanisms:
1.    Blocking of oxygen-transporting enzymes therefore leading to impaired growth;
2.    Crushing of disulfide bonds and therefore structure of sulphur-containing proteins.
3.    Possible interference with Bacteria and virus surface protein in the membrane.

RUCO®-BAC AGP is intended for the protection of the treated textiles and the microstructures of RUCO®-BAC AGP were studied thinking of performance and safety. It is suitable for next-to-skin applications and cytotoxicity tests show that RUCO®-BAC AGP has no influence on the natural microflora of the skin. Furthermore, because of the adhesion mechanism of its microstructures, RUCO®-BAC AGP is only active in/on the textile and it is non-migrating. 

“This year 202o is being highly emotional and it’s leading to the widespread introduction of antimicrobials on textile and to a myriad of vague, misleading or unsubstantiated marketing claims”, states Dr. Gunther Duschek, Managing Director at RUDOLF GROUP. He concludes “As a highly responsible company, we move cautiously and stand for technologies and practices that are effective, truthful and limit the exposure of apparel manufacturers, retailers and buyers to any risk”.

Shanghai – Sateri has unveiled FinexTM as its new product brand for recycled fibre. FinexTM, short for ‘Fibre Next’, is an innovative next-generation cellulosic fibre containing recycled content. Internationally known outdoor brand Lafuma has produced FinexTM apparel ahead of 618, China’s major mid-year online shopping festival, while independent China designer Rico Lee will launch his FinexTM apparel next month.

Since its announcement in March this year of a breakthrough in commercial production of viscose using recycled textile waste, Sateri has worked closely with its downstream yarn and garment manufacturing partners to bring the recycled fibre product to the consumer market.

“We’re pleased to collaborate with Sateri as one of their first brand partners for FinexTM. Sateri’s dedication to this partnership made it possible for Lafuma to produce T-shirts with this fine quality fibre in a short time. T-shirts made with FinexTM will be among the offerings Lafuma has in store for the 618 festival as we look to support environmentally-friendly and excellent performance solutions to strengthen our position as a leading outdoor apparel brand,” said Wu Qian, General Manager of Lafuma China.

Echoing similar sentiments is Rico Lee who established his own independent label in 2014, “I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with Sateri when they approached me because FinexTM encapsulates what my brand stands for – Beautiful Technology that combines function and fashion.”

Tom Liu, Sateri’s Commercial Vice President said, “Like our flagship brand EcoCosy®, FinexTM is made from bio-based natural fibres. Innovation and technology has made cellulosic textile fibre recycling possible and FinexTM represents how nature not only renews itself but that products made from nature can also be regenerated. This, at its heart, is what circular fashion looks like. Our brand promise to customers remains constant– Sateri’s products are sustainable, high quality, efficient, and cost-effective. The FinexTM tagline ‘Together For A Better Next’ expresses our aspiration to be the partner of choice for next-generation fibre - we thank Lafuma and Rico Lee for pioneering with us on this quest.”

Last month, Sateri announced its entry into China’s Lyocell fibre market. The recent string of product portfolio expansion announcements is underpinned by Sateri’s business strategy to capture value. Allen Zhang, President of Sateri said, “Being the world’s largest viscose producer gives us the advantages that come with volume, but value is what we hope differentiates us. By this, we don’t only mean higher value products like Lyocell or FinexTM but also the value we bring to communities, country, climate and customers.”

Globally, less than 1% of material used to produce clothing is recycled into new clothing. This presents a big opportunity for textile fibre recycling, particularly in China which is the largest textile producing country in the world. Last month, Sateri became a council member of the China Association of Circular Economy (CACE). The company will work closely with CACE’s Textile Waste Comprehensive Utilisation Committee to establish standards and promote industrial-scale textile waste recycling. Sateri is part of the Singapore-based RGE group of companies which has committed USD200 million into next-generation textile fibre innovation and technology.

• AACOMA - Accelerate advanced composite manufacturing
• EMR Region Belgium, the Netherlands & Germany area hot spot for the future of lightweight materials and technologies

The Euregio Meuse-Rhine provides a huge potential with its many highly innovative, leading companies and especially SMEs which are active in the area of advanced material manufacturing in many industrial sectors, such as Automotive, Aerospace, Electronics, Building and Infrastructure, etc. The advanced material sector is growing, with a consolidated offer, ranging from raw material producers over technology development to production, research and development as well as industrial OEMs.

Interreg Euregio Meuse-Rhine invests EUR 96 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the period 2014-2020. Through the investments in cross-border projects, the European Union invests in the economic development, innovation, territorial development and social inclusion and education of this region.

Project

The Euregio Meuse-Rhine is a potential hot-spot for the further development of advanced material and process technologies. Technical Centers and Institutes around Aachen/Germany, Liège/Belgium and Eindhoven/The Netherlands were awarded with this new project AACOMA.

Innovative material design and advanced manufacturing provide large opportunities for SMEs. The AACOMA project kick-off took place in Aachen at the Campus of the RWTH University of technology in 1 Q 2020. The aim of the project, which is running for 3 years until 2023 with a budget of €3 Mio, is to connect SMEs with innovation hot-spots like institutes and technical centers.
Seven partners from all three regions will carry the project out: Centexbel is the project leader and gets support by University of Liège, Sirris and Flanders Make from Belgium, as well as Fontys University of Applied Science and AMIBM of Maastricht University in the Netherlands and AMAC in Germany.

Statements

Bernard Paquet, Project Coordinator from Centexbel/ Belgium stated:
“Centexbel, with a strong experience in textile and composites, will identify with its Interreg partners and an advisory board of international experts several demonstrators which will enable an accelerated advanced manufacturing of composite parts. This could include new materials and intermediates, high performance additives, bio-based products and new composites by additive manufacturing”.

Michael Effing, Managing Director of AMAC/ Germany said:
“The major goal of the project is to connect around 200 innovative SMEs with each other and establish the links to the world-class institutes in the EMR region. We will facilitate 6 roadshow events, addressing key topics like automated manufacturing, additive manufacturing or bio-based material systems combined with match making and training events. The first roadshow will be held on September 24, 2020 at the Aachen Campus of the RWTH University of Technology.”

Prof. Gunnar Seide from the AMIBM/The Netherlands continued:  
“Our AMIBM offers already an international master program on bio-based materials. The AACOMA project will be an important element for transborder research and will identify new players in the value chain coming from the EMR region. Innovative companies find markets for their new bio-based building blocks, chemicals and polymers. Their success stories and upcoming technological breakthroughs are needed for a sustainable future.”